Breakdancing will make its debut as Olympics sport in 2024

By afp - 21 February 2019

Members of the world champion breakdance crew Flying Steps fly high above the Sydney Harbour Bridge on September 9 2014. Breakdancing will be on official Olympic sport at Paris 2024. Image: AFP/William WEST

Breakdancing is set to make its debut as an Olympic sport at Paris 2024, the head of the local organising committee said Thursday.

Skateboarding, sport climbing and surfing, which have already been added to the programme for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, have been invited to return in Paris four years later.

Tony Estanguet, the head of the Paris 2024 organising committee, said the inclusion of the four sports responded to a need to make the Olympics "more urban".

"This is a major step forward in our ambition to organise unique Olympic Games," Estanguet said.

"Right from the beginning, our aim was to offer Games that would have an impact and the element of surprise.

In this file photo taken on September 16, 2018 Akiyo Noguchi of Japan competes during the IFSC Climbing World Championships in Innsbruck, Austria. Breakdancing, skateboarding, climbing and surfing have been invited to join the 2024 Paris Olympics. Image: BARBARA GINDL / APA / AFP

"This is why we have chosen to present the IOC with four sports that are as creative as spectacular, geared towards youth and completely in line with our vision.

"They reflect perfectly Paris 2024's identity."

The choice of the four sports still needs to be rubberstamped by the International Olympic Committee.

Breakdancing appeared at the 2018 Youth Olympics in Buenos Aires, in the form of "battles".

The IOC had announced that the number of competitors in 2024 would be limited to 10,500, which limited the scope to include additional sports.

But the organisers said the inclusion of the four sports in Paris would not necessitate the construction of permanent facilities and would comprise just 248 competitors, of which 32 would be in breakdancing.